So I have been see sawing back and forth for quite some timeabout building my new project. I have been reading a thread that's 111 pages alone on the speakers I have been wanting to build. I am building a modified version of the Seas Thor which is a MTM Transmission Line speaker similar to a salk. Since it first design by Dr. Joseph D'Appolito it has had some corrections made to its design as new information has been learned over the years.The latest inception is called the Fat Thor. Here are some pics of the first day,man it was hot outside only worked about 4 hrs.

To be honest john , I can only tell you the benefits of the changes that were made. It is mostly to improve the bass response. The TS parameters of the original driver had changed over time. The box was made larger and the baffle was inverted and round port was incorporated vs a square mass loaded port. Also when Joseph designed these he was using current thinking of the time and it was later discovered that the box was too small for the drivers chosen. I really don't have any desire to learn TLspeaker design, and not nearly enough math background most likely. The drivers are 2g so I hope it sounds good. I needed a summer project and I finally got off my butt and started. I will buy the drivers once the box's are done.

Honestly at one point a (bogey) expert showed up in the thread and it got really technical and I had to skip over a few posts.

I am working on my subwoofer project and it is no where near as involved as your speaker project will be.

I am getting really close to the "finishing" stage, and I am still torn on how I want to lay down the paint. Completely different than if I was making speakers as I would probably veneer them and just paint the front baffle, but with the sub, it will be painted black. While mine will be hidden, I still want a nice finish. I was going to break out the HVLP sprayer, but I am dreading the mess of overspray everywhere and the sprayer cleanup.

I have been following your project nick. It kinda inspired me to get my own going. Since i dont really need the speakers i can take my time with them. I haven't totally decided on the finish though they will be piano black with possibly of blue ghosting using base coast clear coat and some veneer implemented,still looking around to get some inspiration. I have some automotive hvlp paint guns so i will do like i did when i built my sub box last year. Base coat / clear coat is the easiest way to get a really great shine with little effort. Maybe have a body shop spray it. I used a high build primer so it would be nice and straight along with good ol bondo. Wood fillers are just to soft and slow.

I want to hvlp paint mine, but like I said, it can be messy in a garage. Haven't decided yet.

Oh, and I have already started with the Bondo a little last night. Just filling in things at this point. Debating if I want to put a layer of bondo on the whole thing or not just for a consistant surface. I've read up on some finishing threads elsewhere and one guy's massive testing/experimentation thread about how to prevent seams from showing by routing a grove along every joint and filling with Bondo. Maybe something I will look into as well. I know that I would do it with speakers for sure.

I just don't want to go the way of "truck bedliner" like so many people do. Looks cheap to me, but I understand that different people have differnt tastes/time/experience/tools.

I might need to find a source for some high build primer. Hmmm... Was told to start with a couple of coats of Zinsser BIN primer/sealer for the MDF, but I don't think that it will be the same as the "high build" stuff in the end. Then again, if I do the "groove/Bondo" route, then the high build stuff isn't as important.

That is what makes finishing a cabinet so difficult. Even the pros can't agree on how to do it many times, and it leaves an amatuer like me scratching my head and researching like nuts.

It is also a testament to why real wood speakers and custom finishes are so pricy. Companies like Axiom that take the time to do it right have a lot of man hours in each speaker. That is also why I am not overly excited about doing a project like this in the near future unless I get the finish where I want it.

If you put it behind you screen it really wont matter much. I have seen high build in a can. When I spray in the garage I put a house fan in the door way the suck the fumes out. If your garage is attached to the house I would not spray inside . During the summer I wait for a hot day and spray in the afternoon.

When I built my sub I used 45's and then a 3/4 round over bit. Just had a few small bits to fill with bondo, just used my finger to apply it. After that i used the high build.

One mistake I made was not fully painting the inside. That mdf stinks forever. plus its harmfull. Next project is to take mine apart and paint it inside.